An exhibition at the Port Macquarie Coach Terminal building aims to stimulate discussion about the way in which public spaces can be used.
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Ronnie Grammatica's latest photographic exhibition, 200 Years On, is on display at the Gordon Street coach terminal until Sunday (April 18).
The show, made up of a series of portraits which capture a cross-section of regional NSW, was inspired by the 1818 Macquarie River expedition of explorer John Oxley.
These photographs have the option of an interactive audio guide tour.
Born in Italy, permanently relocating to the Mid-North Coast in 2014 and now living in Crescent Head, Grammatica understands the challenges associated with trying to form a sense of belonging in a new country.
He has used portraiture as his medium to explore cultural identities and stories of individuals and places within regional NSW.
As a migrant living in regional NSW, I am still exploring what it means to be Australian," Grammatica said.
"I was born in Italy and have spent most of my life there, only relocating to the area in 2014. This has given me a unique perspective, experiencing our local community initially through fresh eyes as an outsider, and now from within as I have grown to become part of our community.
"I want the audience to stop, look, listen and reflect on the stories of these individuals as well as the story of our community and who we are today.
"These portraits reflect the rapidly changing society of regional NSW.
"When the bicentenary celebrations for Port Macquarie began, I wanted to know more. I began to read and discover more about the history of the town, who John Oxley was, and what his expedition meant for the traditional custodians of this land."
Grammatica started to think about what Oxley and his expedition would have seen and who they would have met on their journey 200 years ago, which led him to this project.
200 Years On was originally developed and presented as part of the Western Plains Cultural Centres Regional Artist HomeGround Program, in Dubbo.
The exhibition is supported by Port Macquarie-Hastings Council through the bicentenary satellite events program.
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